Behind the mask
by Gothgirl3000
Summary: When Joker abandons her after another brutal argument; Harley reflects on the pretty and confident woman she once was JokerxHarley ONESHOT


**Hey guys**

**I know you'll probably ask me to do more chapters on this one but I like it as a one-shot as it creates more tension**

**Hope you like and please review**

**Gothgirl3000**

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><p>Harley was slumped in the corner of the bedroom quietly. Her body ached with the bruises and cuts inflicted upon her by Joker. It seemed whenever something went wrong or he was mad she always received the punishment.<p>

He had gotten mad after being defeated by Batman yet again. He had come so close but unfortunately he had been stopped by the dark knight. When she tried to cheer him up he had snapped and beaten the crap out of her then stormed off to go drinking with 2 face.

Bud and Lou padded into the room quietly and began whimpering. They began gently rubbing themselves against her in an attempt to comfort her.

Harley smiled sadly and ruffled their manes. They were always there for her whenever she needed comforting. Always loyal, faithful and loving; they didn't abandon her or get mad for no reason.

"Good babies" Harley whispered quietly. She had screamed so much during her fight with Joker her throat hurt.

She peered at her costume and sighed heavily. There was tears and rips all across it, there were holes and bloodstains and smears of dirt. The damages were un-repairable meaning a new suit would have to be made.

**_Flashback_**

_"What the fuck is wrong with you Harley?! Can't you give me peace and quiet for ONE minute?!" Joker yelled angrily._

_"B...But Puddin I was just welcoming you home. I thought you liked my hugs when you came home from work" Harley whimpered._

_"I'm not a fucking teddy bear Harley! God damn it I need personal space!" Joker snapped crossly._

_"Look Mistah-J I know Batman got in the way again. But next time you'll beat him for sure" Harley reassured him gently._

_Joker frowned angrily and grabbed her by the headdress. He pulled her face towards his own his eyes cold and hard "That's NONE of your business Harley. What happens between ME and the Bat is nothing to do with YOU!" He spat venomously._

_Harley swallowed nervously "I'm sorry Mistah-J I meant nothing by it. I was just trying to cheer you up" she stammered quietly._

_"Well keep your thoughts to yourself!" Joker snapped and flung her against the wall._

_Harley cried out in pain as her back slammed against the drywall with a loud slam. Pain shot through her back and she curled up in a ball as she slammed into the floor with a loud thud._

_But he wasn't done. Joker approached her with a steel pipe a large frown on his face "You never learn Harley. If only you were obedient then everything would be ok" he sighed crossly._

_Harley's eyes widened in shock and fear filled her "W...Wait Mistah-J. Please I'll be a good girl just put the pipe down" she pleaded desperately._

_Joker smirked wickedly and raised the pipe above his head "Naughty naughty. Pets who talk back get punished" he sneered deviously._

**_Now_**

Harley shivered fearfully. The pain she had felt and the laughter that had escaped his lips sent chills down her body.

She knew he was a bloodthirsty, psychotic criminal but for a moment she felt she had lost his soul. His only shred of humanity that belonged to her had vanished in a split second causing pure fear to arise.

She began to notice the bloodstains on the carpet and sighed heavily. They would take ages to get out but she hadn't noticed being so lost in her thoughts.

Slowly she got to her feet wincing as she did so. She was used to pain by now but this was more intense than usual. With these injuries she would need to do minor stitches and need to sterilize the wounds. It was obvious bandages would be needed more than usual today.

As she limped towards the bathroom she began to remember the last conversation she had with Batman. She had been mad and ignored most of his words but now they made sense which made her angrier.

"Damn Bat. He's gonna rub my face in it this time for sure" Harley muttered angrily. She hated him more because he tried to ruin what happiness she had. If he saw her now he would probably laugh and call her a stupid fool.

**_In bathroom_**

Harley turned on the shower not caring about the heat. She needed a long soak under the hot water to clear her mind. It was a therapudic excercise in some ways allowing her to clear her mind of any thoughts she may have and become empty inside.

Slowly she began to strip off her tattered costume wincing as her injuries stung. It took her a good couple of minutes but eventually she was done.

Her pale creamy skin was blotched with horrible purple bruises, red kick marks, and angry cuts that still bled a little. She was a punching bag for her manic lover and that was a clear fact.

Harley quickly pulled off her mask and headdress shaking her blonde hair free. She then grabbed her damp flannel and scrubbed off her make-up. There were times she enjoyed wearing the make-up but others she felt ashamed by it.

It was true she became Harley Quinn because she had fallen for Joker and wanted to be his _ideal _woman. But there were other times she thought she used it to hide from her past and the crimes she had committed.

Peering into the mirror her heart sank. Her left cheek was swollen, her lip was split, and she had one black eye and a couple of cuts on her face. The make-up really did hide all her facial injuries making her feel worse.

"What have I become?" Harley sighed sadly. She had fallen far from the person she once was and had changed into something else entirely.

Once she had been a successful doctor with a promising career and natural beauty. She was respected by everyone in Gotham and her fellow workers. Many men had been interested in her and she had many friends.

Now she was a wanted criminal in 12 states with a bounty on her head. She had been in and out of Arkham more times than she could count and enemies growing in number every day. She had more admirers but they dared not ask her out due to Joker and she was treated like a common servant.

She climbed into the shower and winced as the hot water hit her wounds. They burned but in a way she was aroused from the pain. It was funny that the very man who abused her sometimes had taught her about her most primal desires as a woman.

Bud and Lou sat in the corner of the bathroom next to her clothes. They were guarding the door to make sure nobody got in and disturbed their master.

It was true that the Hyena's belonged to the pair of them. But it was Harley who primarily took care of them and showed them affection.

Joker on the other hand saw them as tools most of the time and rarely touched them. Now and again he fed them treats like bones or a steak or ruffled their manes when he was happy with them. Most of the time he just ignored them and left it to her to get the job done.

It scared her how dark and psychotic she had become. She had been able to use hidden talents and find a meaning in her life. But sometimes her mind did terrible things that gave her nightmares whether she was awake or not.

Joker reassured her that her darkness was a beautiful thing. He told her that she was an amazing creature than made him burn inside. Other times he would rant angrily at her for being annoying, clingy and selfish.

Harley clutched her head tightly and fell to her knee's. Water cascaded down her body like rain but she liked it. Deep down she just wanted to be accepted, loved and understood but she was still fighting her Psyche despite the choice she made long ago.

"Somebody...help me" Harley sobbed quietly. She needed reassurance and guidance but couldn't bear the thought of being mocked.

**_Later that evening_**

Joker made his way up the stairs quietly. He had been out drinking and gambling with 2 face and scarecrow until late and he needed his bed.

As he approached the top of the stairs he caught sight of Bud and Lou sitting outside the bathroom. This intrigued and confused him so he decided to investigate.

"Bud, Lou come!" Joker said sharply. They may have been his lover's pets but they were also his too.

Bud and Lou raised their heads and slowly got to their feet and padded towards him wagging their tails. They cackled quietly as they came to greet their master.

"Good boys" Joker said fondly ruffling their manes. They meant the world to him and he loved them as much as any person could love a beloved pet.

He made his way to the bathroom quietly. It was obvious where Harley was since Bud and Lou were nearby. He approached the bathroom quietly feeling worried and concerned about what state she would be in.

Slowly he pushed open the bathroom door and was hit by a wall of steam. She hadn't opened the windows but it had come through the door instead.

He saw Harley sitting under the hot spray of the shower. She was curled up with her knee's tucked under her chin and her eyes tearstained. Her body was printed with all the wounds from their earlier fight.

Guilt hit him like a tidal wave and his heart sank. He hated how he ended up hurting her when he was upset; often times it wasn't even her fault. "I'm home pooh" Joker said quietly.

Harley didn't look up but a small mumble of approval escaped her lips. She was so tired and her heart was aching. All she wanted was to be alone and let herself be miserable until she felt like smiling again.

The Joker sighed heavily and knelt beside the bathtub slowly. He wanted to be near her but more importantly APOLOGIZE for his actions. He watched her for a while then reached out to touch her.

"DON'T!" Harley snapped coldly. Her voice was hard and thick meaning she was still VERY upset at him.

"Harls I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just upset that things went wrong and you caught me at a bad time" Joker reassured her gently.

Harley laughed sarcastically "But it's ALWAYS a bad time Jay. I can't do ONE thing without having the shit beaten out of me" she said angrily.

Joker got to his feet slowly and turned off the shower. His face was hard and stern but he spoke not a word.

Harley felt kind of stupid for being sharp with him. He was probably going to beat the crap out of her again.

Joker then leaned over and picked up Harley bridal style holding her close to him. He didn't care that his suit was soaked he just wanted to be near her.

Harley remained quiet but her expression became pained. Her injuries still stung like a bitch and her bruises were VERY sensitive.

**_A couple of minutes later in the bedroom_**

Harley was leaned against a pillow and was humming quietly. She had changed into a red spaghetti strap vest and a pair of black lace underwear. Her hair was lose for a change and still wet from the shower.

Joker entered the room with a small bowl of water, some bandages, tweezers, cotton wool buds and plasters. He may not have been a doctor but he knew basic first aid well enough as he had faced many injuries before meeting Harley. He placed the bowl on the bedside dresser and put the rest of the equipment on the bed.

"Mending me like a doll" Harley muttered coldly. She had calmed down considerably but was still in a bad mood.

"Lay off the attitude Harls or I'll make it hurt" Joker warned her sharply.

Harley glared at him but spoke not a word. She may have been mad at him but suffering pain through healing was NOT what she needed right now.

**_After_**

"All done" Joker said in a teasing tone. He often thought of healing her like a kind of game where he fixed his little doll.

Harley eyed her battle wounds quietly and then sighed heavily. She would have to keep away from Ivy for a while to prevent any drama.

"Something on your mind Harls?" Joker asked curiously.

"Just thinking that I'll have to avoid Ivy for a while" Harley said coldly.

Joker raised his eyebrow "Why?" he asked curiously.

Harley glared at him "To prevent her causing a fuss. She said if you laid another hand on me she'd turn you into fertilizer" she said calmly.

Joker smirked "Did she now. I'd like to see the bitch try it" he mocked wickedly.

As much as she understood that despite Ivy being as powerful as she was he did have the upper hand. He was dangerous and unpredictable in any scenario which often proved as his upper hand.

"She's a good person. You shouldn't insult her as much as you do; she's been there for me when I needed someone most" Harley warned him coldly.

Joker moved closer to her and came close up to her face his expression hard and serious "But she STOLE my pet. She has been getting to interested in MY property" he said crossly.

Harley blinked and then frowned "Since when am I YOUR property. You don't OWN me!" she snapped crossly.

Joker grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him "You've been mine since day 1 Harls. You think I chose you at random?!" he said sternly.

A gentle blush tinted Harley's cheeks. She was somewhat touched by this but was still somewhat annoyed. A mischievous smile spread across her face "Prove it" she said deviously.

Joker smirked. She was becoming more like her usual self again but it was obvious she was in the mood to play a game.

**_25 minutes later_**

Harley was laid on her back with her head rested on a pillow. Her legs were wrapped around Joker's waist and her arms wrapped around his neck while her fingers were entwined in his green locks.

Joker had one hand on her waist and the other was gently groping her chest. He was kissing her neck and chest lovingly enjoying the taste of her body.

"Mistah-J...please don't stop" Harley sighed pleasantly. It seemed that whenever they were mad their sex got more intense.

"You taste so sweet Harley. It's like I'm eating strawberries" Joker growled playfully.

Harley giggled "Well you know what they say. Girls are the temptation worth dying for" she teased playfully.

Joker smirked "You know it" he chuckled.

Harley batted her blue eyes playfully "Gimme some sugar baby" she teased.

Joker smirked. He was used to playing dominant but sometimes it paid to let her take charge "As you wish Harls" he chuckled.

Joker leaned towards her slowly wanting to tease her. But she grabbed his collar and pulled him into an intense kiss. This took him a little by surprise not that he hated it of course "Life is good" Joker thought to himself deviously.


End file.
